Land degradation: socioeconomic and environmental causes and consequences in the eastern Mediterranean

Land degradation is a natural and socioeconomic cause–effect phenomenon that is widespread all over the world. This study investigated the socioeconomic factors and causes of land degradation (e.g. population growth and urbanization, poverty, overgrazing, pollution, biodiversity, erosion) in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region. The study revealed a significant land use change from agricultural and natural vegetation to urbanized areas due to the high population increase during the last ca. 80 years (51‐times the magnitude of the total built‐up area). The high poverty rate that exists in the area (57 per cent of the population can be classed as ‘poor’) has resulted in damaging environmental practices (overgrazing and intensive usage of natural plants); we found 83 per cent of the farmers admitted to the adoption of these practices. Poverty has also resulted in an inverse and significant correlation (at the 95 per cent confidence level) between holding size and the sale of land for urban uses. We also noted that 75 per cent of the smallholder farmers surveyed had sold their lands for immediate benefits to cope with poverty. This relation was affected by the education level of the farmers; we found a direct and significant (95 per cent confidence level) correlation existed between these factors. Overgrazing was practised by 70 per cent of the farmers and was found to be one of the most important environmental consequences of land use change (1600 ha have been transformed from natural grazing to built‐up (urban) in the study area). Socio‐economic induced land degradation demands efforts to improve farmer environmental awareness as well as environmental standards, laws and bylaws and the reduction of mismanagement of land. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cosmetic,Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications of Fish Gelatin/Hydrolysates

There are several reviews that separately cover different aspects of fish gelatin including its preparation, characteristics, modifications, and applications. Its packaging application in food industry is extensively covered but other applications are not covered or covered alongside with those of collagen. This review is comprehensive, specific to fish gelatin/hydrolysate and cites recent research. It covers cosmetic applications, intrinsic activities, and biomedical applications in wound dressing and wound healing, gene therapy, tissue engineering, implants, and bone substitutes. It also covers its pharmaceutical applications including manufacturing of capsules, coating of microparticles/oils, coating of tablets, stabilization of emulsions and drug delivery (microspheres, nanospheres, scaffolds, microneedles, and hydrogels). The main outcomes are that fish gelatin is immunologically safe, protects from the possibility of transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and foot and mouth diseases, has an economic and environmental benefits, and may be suitable for those that practice religious-based food restrictions, i.e., people of Muslim, Jewish and Hindu faiths. It has unique rheological properties, making it more suitable for certain applications than mammalian gelatins. It can be easily modified to enhance its mechanical properties. However, extensive research is still needed to characterize gelatin hydrolysates, elucidate the Structure Activity Relationship (SAR), and formulate them into dosage forms. Additionally, expansion into cosmetic applications and drug delivery is needed.     

Optimization of lipase-catalyzed synthesis of palm amino acid surfactant using response surface methodology (RSM)

Amino acid surfactants are high-value surfactants which have excellent emulsifying characteristics and minimal toxicity to the living body. Enzymatic synthesis of palm kernel amino acid surfactant was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) using palm kernel olein (PKO) and l(+)-lysine catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM. The reaction was performed in batch mode stirred tank reactor (STR) with one multi-bladed impeller. A central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was employed to evaluate the interactive effects of various parameters. The parameters were temperature (A): (40.00–70.00 °C), impeller speed (B): (100.00–400.00 rpm), substrates ratio (C): (1.00–4.00 mmol) and enzyme amount (D): (5.00–8.00 g). The optimum condition derived via RSM at fixed reaction time of 24 h was temperature; 47.50 °C, impeller speed; 323.96 rpm, substrates ratio; 3.25 mmol and enzyme amount; 7.25 g. The experimental yield was 89.03% under the optimum condition, which compared well with the maximum predicted value of 93.77%.     

Nitrogen transformation and carbon sequestration in wetland paddy field of Bangladesh

Paddy and Water Environment - Rice-based cropping systems in Bangladesh have received little consideration of changing nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in soil. Therefore, this study was conducted at...     

Effect of Treated Wood on Biosolids Composting

The possibility of using construction and demolition (C&;D) waste wood as a bulking material in biosolids composting was investigated. Potential contaminants in C&;D waste wood include arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and copper (Cu) from treated wood, and lead (Pb) from paints. Untreated and treated woodchips from C&;D wood were mixed with biosolids, composted using an aerated static pile process, and cured. There were no significant differences between untreated and treated woodchips with respect to composting process, time to stability, or product quality. Composting parameters monitored included moisture content, pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter degradation, fecal coliform levels, and stability by respirometry. Finished compost quality was evaluated in terms of potential toxic elements (PTE) levels. PTE values in treated woodchips (26 ± 35, 29 ± 41, 56 ± 46, and 5 ± 5 µg·g^?1 for As, Cr, Cu, and Pb, respectively) were higher and more variable than those in the untreated woodchips (3 ± 3, 17 ± 8, 13 ± 2, and 0.5 ± 0.0 µg·g^?1). However, both untreated and treated wood compost products met Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Category B values for PTE. In addition, and only molybdenum (Mo) and Cu exceeded Category A thresholds. Biosolids were the most significant contributor of Mo, while Cu contributions came from both biosolids and wood chips; some samples of pressure-treated wood showed concentrations of Cu in the range of 765 to 8,455 µg·g^?1. The results of this study suggest that treated wood from C&;D recycling facilities will not significantly degrade the quality of biosolids compost products.     

Effects of phosphorous fertilizer on seedlings growth and nodulation capabilities of some popular agroforestry tree species of Bangladesh

An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of Phosphorous （P） fertilizer （i.e. TSP or triple super phosphate @ 80 kg/hm^2） on seedling growth and nodulation capabilities of three potentially important agroforestry tree species （Acacia auriculiformis, Albizia lebbeck and Albizia procera） of Bangladesh. The study was conducted in nursery beds with six-month-old polybag seedlings ofA. auriculiformis, A. lebbeck and A. procera. The effects of P fertilizer on seedling growth and nodulation were compared with that of the seedlings grown in control （i.e. unfertilized soil）. The observations revealed that the seedling growth was enhanced significantly with the application of P fertilizer. The growth was found more pronounced in A. auriculiformis, whereas it was not apparent and shows depressed growth in case ofA. lebbeck. The study also suggests that the nodulation in terms of nodule number and size was also increased significantly with the application of P fertilizer.     

Quantity-intensity relationship for characterizing ammonium chemistry of Bangladesh soils in reference to clay mineralogy

Ammonium chemistry in surface soils collected from major soil series of Bangladesh was studied in terms of quantity-intensity (Q/I) relationship. Soils were classified according to physiography and parent materials; calcareous floodplain soils were dominated by mica and smectite, while non calcareous floodplain soils, terrace soils, and hill soils were dominated by mica or kaolinite and lacked smectite as a major clay mineral. Different Q/I parameters were obtained between soils of smectitic and non-smectitic types. Soils of smectitic type had a high potential buffering capacity which kept the equilibrium activity ratio at a low and fixed level.. The content of labile ammonium was high and estimated to increase with increasing addition of NH₄ ⁺. In contrast, soils of non-smectitic type with a low potential buffering capacity showed a considerable variation of both the equilibrium activity ratio and labile ammonium content, as affected by the application of NH₄ ⁺. Based on the ammonium chemistry, expected N-fertilizer application was compared with the prevailing application method.     

Osteopontin gene polymorphism association with milk traits and its expression analysis in milk of riverine buffalo

Osteopontin gene is regarded as a plausible candidate in mammary gland differentiation and development, expressed by variety of cells, tissues, and biological fluids including milk. The current study was performed in two phases. In the first phase, Osteopontin gene polymorphisms were identified and associated with milk composition such as ash, milk fat, SNF, lactose, and protein. In the second phase, milk samples from five healthy mastitis-free Nili Ravi buffaloes were analyzed for expression of Osteopontin gene at transition (day 15), mid (day 90), and end (day 250) stage of their second lactation. Briefly, blood samples were collected from Nili Ravi buffalo to isolate the genomic DNA, specific primers were designed for PCR amplification. The amplified PCR products were sequenced bi-directionally. Six polymorphisms were identified in the coding region and four in the intronic region of the gene. The results showed that SNP g.38329758 T > C causing substitution of valine to alanine (V127A) was associated with high milk protein. For mRNA expression analysis, somatic cells were separated from milk samples for RNA isolation. Analysis of differential gene expression data has permitted us to illustrate the expression pattern of osteopontin gene in lactating buffalo. The Osteopontin gene was found to be transcribed among all three lactation stages, but expression was observed with the highest value (fold change) in peak lactation and remained elevated till the end of lactation. Identified gene marker may be helpful for the prediction of superior animal for selection. The presented study also gave an insight into the genetic screening and lactation biology of riverine buffalo, offering direction for future research in lactating buffalo.     

Identification of bacterial agents causing mortality in postlarvae of giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) in south‐west coastal districts of Bangladesh

Following an incidence of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii postlarvae (PL) mortality in hatcheries in summer 2012, samples from dead PL, rearing water and prawn feed from two south‐west coastal districts of Bangladesh were collected to isolate, identify and characterize the agents causing PL mortality. Antibiogram profile of sixteen randomly selected bacteria, isolated from dead PL, that grew on TCBS, to 20 different antibiotics belonging to 12 major groups revealed that the drug resistance pattern varied from moderate (56% to the drugs: ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, nitrofurantoin, kanamycin) to complete (to penicillin, ceftazidime and oxacillin) level. To identify the isolates, amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) classified them in to four groups, and RAPD (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) typing yielded nine different types of isolates within these four ARDRA groups. The 16S rDNA gene sequences identified that the groups were genotypically diverse belonging to the bacterial species: Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Exiguobacterium profundum and Enterococcus casseliflavus, respectively, that all demonstrated their killing potential to PLs in a simulated environment. The study therefore identified four different bacterial pathogens, one of which, Exiguobacterium profundum is reported for the first here in Bangladesh, that demand special consideration for disease management strategy.     

The isoelectrofocusing technique in comparison of some Sudanese type SAT-1 foot-and-mouth disease viruses

Isoelectric focusing technique (IEFT) was employed to compare type SAT-1 FMD virus from Sudan. Results of the IEFT tests were compared with available previous serological and epidemiological data on the viruses used. Possible potential uses of the test, in parallel with previously available serological and epidemiological data, are discussed.